Sled or boat



March 5, 1963 B. F. BRASCH SLED OR BOAT 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 30, 1960 INVENTOR.

BENJAMIN FT BRASCH AT T0 RN EY B. F. BRASCH SLED 0R BOAT March 5, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 30, 1960 INVENTOR.

BENJAMIN F. BRASCH ATTORNEY March 5, 1963 a. F. BRASCH 3,079,617

SLED 0R BOAT Filed March 30, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Hil INVENTOR.

BENJAMIN F. BRASCH fkM AT T0 RN EX aired rates Fatice 3,ll79,617 SLED 6R BOAT Benjamin F. Brasch, Purina, Ohio, assignor to Blazon, Inca, Akron, Ghio, a corporation of @hio Filed Mar. 30, 1960, Ser. No. 18,679 9 Claims. (Ci. 9-310) It is an object of the present invention to provide simple and inexpensive means for overcoming the above mentioned difficulties.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel sled or tcbog an readily maneuvered by mere lateral shifting of the load carried thereby.

Another object of the invention is to provide a readily controllable While safe and practical central runner sled having a minimum number of parts (and no moving parts) and consequent low cost of manufacture.

Anot..er object of the invention is to provide a sturdy vehicle of one piece construction, suitable for use by one or two persons in either an upright sitting position or lying face downward.

Broadly, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, I meet these and other objects by providing a sled having a main central ski and two oppositely arranged outboard drag devices of less effective depth. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the drag devices are skis each afiixed at an angle so that a plane through the longitudinal center line of each outboard ski, if extended, will intersect a plane through the vehicle longitudinal center line, and thus through the central ski.

This provides an entirely different turning principle than those heretofore known because the outboard device, which is activated by platform tilting, provides a substantial force when it engages a sliding medium thereby creating a substantial turning moment without necessitating excessive tilt of the vehicle. Thus a simpler, more controllable ski sled is provided.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent and the invention may be better understood from consideration of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a device constructed in accordance with the invention;

PEG. 2 is a side elevation of the device shown in 7 PEG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional View on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view on the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an upwardly viewed corner portion illustrating a modification;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic top or bottom view including a force diagram illustrating operation of a device as in FiGl or 7;

PEG. 7 is a perspective view of an alternate construction;

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of a ski useful, for example, as shown at 16 in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4.

In FIGS. 1 -4, I have shown a pan-like central runner 19 which may be made of aluminum or other material.-

If desired, the pan top may be flanged at 11 to provide ease of attachment of the pan as to a platform 12, and flange 11 may be interrupted at 13 to provide an additional flange to receive a hollow cantilever beam 14 to support the platform. The central runner 10 may be atiixed to the platform 12 as by bolts (not shown).-

The platform 12, which could be one molded piece but which is shown in FIGS. l-4 as an assembly of two slightly angled sheets conveniently of ply-wood, has the overall pattern of a delta Wing and at either side of a normally vertical plane or center line 15 drag devices such as oppositely angled skis 16 are affixed beneath the platform at outboard corners thereof.

At the front of the vehicle, a rigidly mounted handle 17 may be provided just forward of a mast hole 18 with said hole located above a mast step plate 19 for receiving a mast for sailing when that is desired. 7

For maximum maneuverability, while at the same-time preventing skidding, the pan or shell forming the central runner 10 is bottom edge rounded as at 21, 22, adjacent the front or how of the vehicle (see FIG. 3) and may also have a small center runner 23 (which may be just a protrusion of the pan as stamped), while toward the rear and adjacent the outrigger skis 16, these curves have individually coalesced into sharp points 24, 25, located on either side of an upwardly arcuate bottom 26 of the pan 10 (see FIG. 4).

During the operation with the combined main central runner rounded edges fore and small central runner sharp edges fore (as seen in FIG. 3) and the main central runner sharp edges aft (FIG. 4), sharpedges front and back prevent skids on ice but Without restricting turns because any sharp edge of the small central forward portion of the central ski will'be removed from the sliding medium during turns, the central sharp edge becoming ineffective as the vehicle is rolled over on rounded edge 21 or 22.

- If desired, hand holes (as for holding for bellyslamming) may be provided in the platform at 31, 32 and when the occupant is sitting down facing the front, he may use additional hand holes 33, 34 and, where possible, a hand hole such as 33 is protected from the snow, ice, water, etc. by structural parts such as 14, 16.

In a modification as shown in FIG. 5, the platform assembly 12 is provided with oppositely located drag devices one of which is shown at 36. With this embodiment, each drag device takes the form of a simple bracket fastened to the bottom of the platform 12 assembly with the engaging surface of said bracket fashioned to provide a substantial drag force such as by corrugations 37 preferably with the corrugations at an angle with respect to a line running fore and aft of the vehicle, and preferably, also, with the bottom ends of the brackets (that is, the bottoms of the corrugations if any) angled downward with respect to the platform portion, for example so that a plane in which they fall will intersect a plane containing the bottom of the central runner, so as to provide maximum area of drag device contact with sliding medium during turning as is the case for the arrangement of FIGS. l-4 and 7, also, and with such an arrangement it is not necessary to angle the bracket itself with respect to a line running fore and aft.

If the vehicle is to be used on water, the end of members 10 and 14 (see FIGS. 14) may be enclosed and seamsto be relied upon for buoyancy made Water tight so that the vehicle will float when the vehicle is stationary, or when it is being brought up to planing speed as by initial towing with a motor boat. However, if the vehicle is to be used only on snow and ice, this is not essential and an end such as the end 38 of member 14 in FIG. 2 may be left open to reduce weight.

FIG. 6-includes a force diagram from which it is seen that with forward motion in the direction of arrow 61,

as soon as the sled, for example of FIGS. 1-4, is laterally tilted to engage one drag device 16, a drag force repreq sented by, the arrow 62 resolves-into a perpendicular component 63 and a drag ski angle component represented hy-the arrow 64 both of which will cause turning with respect to an ,assumedcenter of gravity (of sledplus load) atap oint;65.- v I the arrangement of FIG. 7 the entire sled is formed as; one drawn, stamped or molded: piece asofmetal or plastic, -with indentations andconvolutions of thispiece forminga pan type central runner 70 convex (viewed J; from the bottom) infront and-concave (from the bottom) serve to keep water, snow or iceout ofthe inside of bodiments, various modifications may obviously be made back-,2, platform 72;-transverse. stiiiening (cantilever) corrugations 74, and angled outboard runners 76 which a e again a med: a seda is b m Surfaces) wlth respectto central runner; (bottom surfaces);

i --;;With a one piece arrangement as in .516. I it is not i necessary to ;separately attach drag devices jto platform, I

they can easily be attachedby heatfusion, or bolts, rivets longitudinal center-rof thevehicle, rather than'forwardly which is; important because it is desired that the. ski (or hen the vehiele is tilted in the direction ofisuch-device.

Ivy/hen the vehicle is-tilted-inits direction ;-;,;the present invention that during vehicle l travel in the direction of the central runner and subsequently lateral tilting to engage one or 'the other of. the drag devices, the drag device;will provide, more-resistance to-sliding than and the like, particularly if thetski's and otherunderparts e are provided with top flanges as indicated by the double other drag device) contactlthe.sliding mediumihroughout the wholeeifective'bottomarea 'ofuthe drag device With any of the arrangementsit-is,a characteristic of flaring upward from a longitudinal axis through the cenfbutwhere separate elementsare-used, as in FIGS. 1 and 2,

without departing from, the true spirit and scope of the invention which is intended'to be definedby the appended claims taken with all reasonable equivalents.

Lclairnzl V a 1. Avehicle having a platform portion, a depending central runner secured to said platform portion and having at least one bottom.,surface, and a pair ofv dra g devices afiixed to the'platform and" oppositely disposed one on eitherside of said central runner, said dragdevices each having a bottom surfacelyingin a plane whichiis elevated relative to the bottom surface of the central runner, and

said dragidevices each configured and arranged; at an angle with respect to a fore and aftli ne through the central runner 'to provide, during vehicle. travel in thelongitudinal direction of the central runner andlateral tilting to engage, withthe supporting medium one or the other of the drag devices,'rnore resistance to sliding than the reappears that ski 16 tapers, downwardly forwardly; but actually;- it'is the downward taper. inwardly, toward the sistance provided by said central runner; v

-2.lA vehicle ,as in claim 1 further characterized by "the drag devices being brackets having ends whieh are ;,angleddownward with respect to the platform portion and havingbottoms which are corrugated at anang'lewith 1 respect to a line extending fore and aft of the vehicle.

. v a so Ntuner'ous medificationsarepossibleand'instead of SklS, bent updrag devices night be used .at the rearaof the "the resistance provided by the central runner,- thus causing turns while preventing spilling. I This-effect can be greatly af d d br e-sha e of: t e c al from-which the ntr w i rd s le eh e is d;- ihis ,centr al'pari can act as a cam, elevating :thecentralrunner 3. A vehiclefas in clai'rnl further characteriidby the ,central runner being formed as a panwhereby'toreduce manufacturing costs, to provide buoyancy when the device is. used in watergand' to provide ash ongrstructnre with "a minimum amount of material.v

4.7a vehicle as in claim 1 further characterize dby the platform portion comprising a pair of plywood wings each tral runner. I I i V l e l l 5-. A sled .or, ski runner havinga front aiida backa nd a surface which adjacent thefront is. convert when viewed l'from'the bottom to provide Q ibQQId rounded e'dgfe's'iu the fore portion with this configurationfchanging ,aft into a L concave. surface as viewed from the bottdni tepr'ovide turn resistance from central runnerr Irr effect, then, the

' front of thepan skids around on the front curved porl, ,tion (of bilge rather than keel) when a side mounted V ,drag,deviceengageswthe medium onwhich theyehicle is traveling.

I Of course, any turned up front end ski or skate might a:

b e expected to provide some turning force (if its mate is not active) but a ski which is angled in accordance with the disclosure in FIGS. 1:4 and 7 or a simple bracket as -shown in-EIG. 5, will provide a'great deal more turning vforceand thus a more rapid and-more controllable turn and, at'least withitheconstruction of FIGS. 1-4, the sled vismuch saferhthan center plus outboard runner sleds heretofore known first because there will be little tendv v I, l .turning.

Andanoutstanding characteristic shown ingthe drawings l sharp outboard edgesadjacent the r ear me device, the

. a 45- from-the sliding medium and eliminating the possibility of l front portion also having a's mallcentral runnerhaving sharp edges,lwhereby the sharpedges front and back may .preventl side. skids except, when vthe runner Iisflaterally i tilted to remove the small central runner from engagement w th a sliding medium and instead engage said sliding medium with a rounded edge, adjacent the front for 6. A Vvehiclefor use on a sliding medium, said ve hi'clehaving a triangular outline in plan viewf'andbo prisinga platform portion for recelivin g' a loadlduring turning and 2. depending centralportionfformed as a pan open at the top, the platform extending from each side of but not over thecentral pan so that the pan a depression to accommodate a rider while'the' platform extending to either side provides wings to which-l the rider may shift weight for making turns, the platform wing portions, having drag deviceslocated on opposite sides of the pan and depending from the platform wings, said .drag devices having bottom surfaces which er cept during such weight shifting and turning. are elevated with re- V i t '65 i -ency for any outrigger skitodig in and fliptheyehicle,

and secondly because it. is not necessary to laterally tilt y f the vehic le so 'far f or a predetermined 1 minimizes the chance of upset; a. l

7' In-FIG; 8, the exploded .view shows one form of drag device(sirnilar to each ski. 16 in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4) where a sheet metal. centralportion 10,0} is provided at each end -with op n s- &1( ar a t n las-t aa a f r and provided ateach side with side flanges 102 useful for fastening on side plates 103 which, after assembly, can

turn and this spect to the bottom surface of th e'pan t 7 A vehicle as in claim 5 further vcharacterize'd .iby the central pan itself having a depending centbalrunner-havv ing abottom surface and the planes in whiehthe bottom surfaces of the drag devices fall'being angled .to the plane .of the bottom surface ofthe central runner: so that said drag device bottom planes, if extended, will iintersect .the plane ofthe bottom surface of thecentral' runner, 1 whereby t 0 provide; maitimum area, of drag device contact with sliding medium during turning.

S. A vehicle for use as a sled and the like having a platform portion and depending from said platform portion a longitudinally extending central pan the width of which is appreciably less than the width of the platform portion, a central runner depending from the central pan and extending longitudinally With the parts configured and arranged so that the central pan may act as a cam eliminating the possibility of turn resistance from the central runner when the vehicle is tilted by elevating the central runner from the supporting medium and further characterized by the pan having curved edges at least at the fore part of the vehicle, the platform having drag devices located on opposite sides of the pan whereby the front of the pan may skid around on a front curved edge thereof when the drag device is engaged.

9. A vehicle having a platform, a downwardly depending central runner afiixed to said platform, a pair of downwardly depending devices afimed to the platform one on each side of the central runner and each having a bot. tom surface formed of corrugations angled with respect 6 to a line running fore and aft through the central runner, the bottoms of said corrugations lying in a plane which is elevated with respect to the bottom of the central runner.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 664,215 Hickson Dec. 18, 1900 1,222,114 McCarthy Apr. 10, 1917 1,758,289 Loy May 13, 1930 2,151,836 Bugatti Mar. 28, 1939 2,443,348 Flajole June 15, 1948 2,841,406 Brandon July 1, 1958 2,918,684 Sackett Dec. 29, 1959 2,931,332 Hebrank Apr. 5, 1960 2,950,922 Rudine Aug. 30, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 399,760 Great Britain Oct. 12, 1933* 

1. A VEHICLE HAVING A PLATFORM PORTION, A DEPENDING CENTRAL RUNNER SECURED TO SAID PLATFORM PORTION AND HAVING AT LEAST ONE BOTTOM SURFACE, AND A PAIR OF DRAG DEVICES AFFIXED TO THE PLATFORM AND OPPOSITELY DISPOSED ONE ON EITHER SIDE OF SAID CENTRAL RUNNER, SAID DRAG DEVICES EACH HAVING A BOTTOM SURFACE LYING IN A PLANE WHICH IS ELEVATED RELATIVE TO THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF THE CENTRAL RUNNER, AND SAID DRAG DEVICES EACH CONFIGURED AND ARRANGED AT AN ANGLE WITH RESPECT TO A FORE AND AFT LINE THROUGH THE CENTRAL RUNNER TO PROVIDE, DURING VEHICLE TRAVEL IN THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF THE CENTRAL RUNNER AND LATERAL TILTING TO ENGAGE WITH THE SUPPORTING MEDIUM ONE OR THE OTHER OF THE DRAG DEVICES, MORE RESISTANCE TO SLIDING THAN THE RESISTANCE PROVIDED BY SAID CENTRAL RUNNER. 